How to Grow a Blog

3/28/2013

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Remember that blogging is a conversation.  Keep this in mind: " bloggers blog because they are on a journey, a quest, and that every entry is an opportunity to continue that journey."

Try  filling out your own "How to Grow a Blog planning sheet."  A student sample is posted below the setting goals sheet.

If you want more information, visit Konrad Glogowski's blog.
How are you going to grow your own blog?
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Using Compfight to Search for Images

3/28/2013

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Picture
Photo Credit: marfis75 via Compfight cc
I basically went to the compfight website.  I typed "reptiles" in the search box and I noticed it had 13, 355 images.  


You click a picture you like so that you can view the license agreement.  I noticed it stated "some right reserved".   I clicked "some rights reserved" to read about the license.  I am allowed to use the photo as long as I give proper credit to the person who posted the picture.  


I then went back to the picture, and I downloaded the picture size I wanted for my blog post.  On your blog post (kidblog), you click "Upload/Insert Media."  I then found the file in my computer (click select media), and I double clicked the file.  It uploaded so then I scrolled down, and in the caption box I copied and pasted the HTML code listed under #3 from the compfight image page.  I then click the alignment I want for my post and click insert into page.  It then pastes the HTML code for the image and caption onto the HTML blog post area.  I click the "visual" tab to check out if I pasted the picture correctly with the proper credit.  It did give the proper photo credit underneath the photo, and then I was ready to publish my post. 


It is quite easy.  


What do you think of Compfight?
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Give the author of the image proper credits (Attribution)

3/27/2013

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You can also read this blog post on kidblog.
Yellow Amphibian by cleber, on Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 2.0 Generic License  by  cleber 
Edmodo Post:  Read HERE

I did a Flickr advanced search and checked off “Only search within Creative Commons-licensed content.”

Then I went to the website which gave me the HTML code with the proper attribution right underneath the photo.

I pasted the Flickr URL of the photo I was interested in and then presto….I got the HTML code!

With ImageCodr.org, there is no need to do all this manually, you simply enter in the URL of the picture page (as seen in your browser) you are interested in and ImageCodr.org will generate the ready to use HTML code. It will also display a brief and easy license summary, so you don’t get in legal trouble because you missed something.

Here is a sample.

You can search for images by clicking HERE.  Check off: “Find only images free to use commercially”

Following the steps above you will:
  • Link the image back to the Flickr photo page
  • Give the author of the image proper credits (Attribution)
  • Link to the Flickr profile of the author
  • Link to the license the image is licensed under
What do you think of ImageCodr.org? 
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Blogging Challenge #7

3/26/2013

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1.  Put together an animoto, slideshow, online poster or online collage on a theme using 10 images you have found online. You must choose the topic retiles or the topic amphibians since that is what we studied last week during reading.  Check out the Web 2.0 Tools I posted on Edmodo!

Remember to add attribution as an image at the end of the animoto or slideshow. Include attribution with each image on your online collage or online poster.

2.  If you have used images in previous posts, go back and give attribution for the images. If they are not creative commons, GNU or fair play, then you will need to take the images out of your posts.

You can use images that are creative commons where the owner has given you permission to use the image as long as you include attribution. Here is a chart about the different licenses for images. There are many websites and search tools on the web for finding images that are creative commons.  I posted some websites to help you find images in a folder on Edmodo.  Make sure to check out the websites.

3.  (Optional)  Find a great image and write a post about it.

Do you have any other great sites for finding images, clipart, music, sounds etc?  

Challenge 4 – Using images in posts
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Do NOT be a Curmudgeon!

3/22/2013

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Curmudgeon by pepsobert, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License  by  pepsobert 
Do you know what a curmudgeon is? 
A curmudgeon is a cranky person.  You might have a neighbor who is a curmudgeon. You wouldn’t want to go trick-or-treating at a curmudgeon’s house, because if you rang the doorbell he’d probably say, "Get off my porch!"

When we read a book like it’s gold it’s more than just reading like we’re interested, or reading with expression. It’s also being open to the story and letting whatever happens to the characters happen to us, too.  It’s letting a book really matter to us.

You have a choice as readers. You can read like a curmudgeon (reading text as if it were duller than dishwater).  Or you can, instead, read as if the text is gold (reading with heart and soul).

So, we can approach a book like a tough-skinned curmudgeon, or we can approach a book expecting it to matter!

Tips from Lucy Calkins
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Blogging Challenge #6

3/16/2013

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Challenge with number 10

I have just finished washing my clothes and found one sock that is now full of holes. I can’t use it as a sock, but list 10 other ways I could use the sock.

Think creatively. You might want to use one of the tools below. Remember to leave a link at the bottom of your post back to the following website: http://studentchallenge.edublogs.org/2013/03/17/challenge-3-get-creative/

  • Automatoon will not work with Internet Explorer but great way to create an animated movie.
  • Another great site is goanimate – teachers there is an education version of this as well
  • Kerpoof is great for all ages
  • Voki allows you to type or speak what you want the character to say
  • Audioboo – create whatever you want to say on your blog then embed it. Check out Em’s blog for examples.
  • Create a book that flips the pages at flipsnack. Check out the other links at the bottom as well.
  • Make beliefs comics are great for your creativity
  • Little Bird Tales for creative writing
  • Magnetic poetry – create a poem using their words, take a screen shot or submit to their gallery and put link in your post
  • Use Fotobabble  or Blabberize to create a movie or book trailer
  • Create your own art work at artpad
  • Sketching with odopod
  • Use Toondoo to make a comic or embed a book you create there

This week’s blogging challenge is online. Please make sure you have a go at some part of each of the challenges, on your own blog. Make sure you make a hyperlink to the student blogging challenge page, in your post.

  • Type – student blogging challenge at the end of your post
  • Open the student blogging challenge page
  • Click on the title of the week 3 challenge – get creative
  • Copy the URL (in the address bar at the top of the page)
  • Return to your blog post and highlight the text – student blogging challenge
  • Click on either the word “link” or the chain link
  • Paste the URL into the top line and click “add link”
  • Close the box and continue blogging
  • The words student blogging challenge should be underlined and in a different color 

Challenge 3 – Get creative
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Blogging Challenge #5:

3/10/2013

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This week you have freedom to choose what you write about. You might be very passionate about something and want to write a post on that topic. It might be:

  • minecraft
  • embroidery
  • a particular singer or band
  • music
  • astronomy
  • collecting coins
  • book reviews
  • geology
  • travelling
  • history
  • genealogy
  • etc, etc, etc
Your choice!  Make sure you introduce your topic, include a link to another website relating to that topic and if possible, a picture you have taken relating to your passion.

Now not everyone is passionate about something so I will include a few other choices you might like to post about.


Challenge about the number 10 (if you do not know what to post about above, you can do this instead):
If you had the freedom to choose 10 jobs you would have over your lifetime, what would they be and why?

  • Would you like to try out for one of these best jobs in the world?
  • There are statistics now showing the average number of jobs for a person over a lifetime is greater than 10. The older students might also want to check out this infographic.



Which of last week’s activities did you complete?

  • 10 people you would like to meet
  • write or update about me page or profile
  • create an avatar
  • add widgets for tracking visitors
  • add widget to translate your blog posts
  • cyber bullying post
  • commenting guidelines
  • why visit my blog post
  • posts of mine you should read
  • visited other blogs and left comments
Challenge 2 – First week of freedom
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Blogging Challenge #4:

3/3/2013

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Challenge about the number 10

If you could meet 10 people, alive or dead, who would they be? Make a list of the people and include one question you would ask them in an interview. You cannot repeat the same question.

Go to your kidblog blog and create a post.  In the title box, do NOT write blog challenge #4.  You can write: Interview of 10 People or 10 People I Would Love to Meet

Write a 2 to 3 sentence introduction stating what the blog post is about, and then you can start your list.

Here is an example of what I would write on my list (after I write an introduction about this blog post of course):
1. Shakira: What made you decide to become a singer, and how old were you when you made that decision?


*Student Blogging Challenge

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